Asta La Pasta

Asta La Pasta put up a good performance to finish third in the two-mile novices' handicap chase that Kalif Du Berlais won at Newbury on Friday. Held up early off a moderate enough pace, his jumping wasn't overly fluent through the early part of the race, but it did warm up. He made ground on the inside for Harry Skelton as they raced over the cross fence and around the home turn and, moved towards the outside, he made good ground towards the leaders over the third last and second last fences. Still about three lengths behind at the final fence, he got in tight to the obstacle, which didn't help, but he kept on well up the run-in to get to get to within two and a half lengths of the winner.

A progressive novice hurdler last season, this was just the Walk In The Park gelding's third run over fences, and he acquitted himself well in the most competitive chase in which he has participated to date. Dan Skelton's horse should progress for the experience and, still only six, he should improve again as a chaser as we move through the season. His chase rating of 128 is 4lb higher than his hurdles rating, but he has the potential to go even higher now over fences. Winner of a three-horse, two-finisher chase at Carlisle over two and a half miles on his previous run, he should appreciate a step back up in distance, and he can go a little to his right at his fences, so he could do even better back on a right-handed track.

Newbury, 29^th November 2024